Capital:
Montevideo
Administrative divisions:
19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas,
Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida,
Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,
Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres
Independence:
25 August 1825 (from Brazil)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 August (1825)
Constitution:
27 November 1966, effective February 1967; suspended 27 June 1973,
new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two
constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7
January 1997
Legal system:
based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ (since 1 March 2005) and
Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVA (since 1 March 2005); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ (since 1 March 2005)
and Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVA (since 1 March 2005); note - the
president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with
parliamentary approval
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 31 October
2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote
- Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.5%, Jorge LARRANAGA 35.1%, Guillermo STIRLING
10.3%
Legislative branch:
bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber
of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of
Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to
be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31
October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber
of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
- EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected
for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)